Are freshwater pearls extracted in Arabia

[Hitcho]

Hi there
Are freshwater pearls extracted in Arabia especially in Bahrain or Oman?
Regards
Hashim

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Hi Hitcho,

I've been reading the sections relevant to this question in Pearls by Elisabeth Strack, pages 129-143.

Pearls from that area are natural and saltwater (Persian Gulf, Red Sea). I didn't find anything about freshwater pearls from that area.

 

[Orient]

Having some experience with Bahraini pearls I can confirm Pearl Dreams' observation, via Elisabeth Strack, that pearls found in the Middle East (Gulf) are saltwater and there are no freshwater sources or cultured pearl operations in the area that I am aware of at present. Any freshwater pearls in the markets of the Gulf countries are predominantly non-bead cultured or bead cultured of the type found in virtually every other market today. Just noticed this query so not sure if the original poster will ever read this reply. No harm submitting it!